The news from all over the globe has not only been bleak, it’s bordered on downright terrifying. Whether the location is across the globe or in our backyard, it affects the whole of society. This week on Surly Voices, hosts Liz, Donna and Amina wade through the quagmire of dark news.
Listen to the full episode here:
Global News Scares as Russia invades Ukraine
The dominant subject across the world has been Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Bombings and other attacks have killed over 100 civilians, while Russian President Vladimir Putin has threatened other world powers against intervention. Yet, from the citizens more concerned about the tensions raising gas prices to the global leaders inflating their ego via war, it becomes apparent that morals have fallen by the wayside. Liz said that we have lost our “moral rudders” that steer us in the right direction.
Silenced Discussions of Oppression
The 10th anniversary of the death of Trayvon Martin brings forth the discussion of the Black Lives Matter movement, and how Florida’s current ‘anti-woke legislation’ is an active retaliation against not only the movement but also the African American community as a whole. Donna recalled learning “the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth” about other dark and cruel acts against marginalized groups, even as a young child in school.
However, the one thing never actively discussed, and the center of the fight against education is the plight of the African American community. Slavery, oppression, and continued oppression from other marginalized groups have largely gone without discussion. With new Florida legislation attempting to further restrict education on America’s true history, the topic is at risk of being erased entirely.
“They hate the idea of making things equitable because they see it as taking something away from them,” Liz said, theorizing why legislation continues to whitewash history education.
“If you keep not teaching the real history of the United States, then people who are taught the white version of history in school grow up to be adults who say… get over it.”
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